Ice creeper



Oct. 12, 1943. c. HARVEY 2,331,607

. ICE CREEPER I Fild NOV. 20, 1942 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 12, 1943 Rea H IGEGREEPER- Clarencefiarivey, Canastb t f IApplication November 20, 1942; ser rndsnssgsia l "50m wi ena" fly" of arubber or boot; where itwill ibeput ofthe waywhen-it'is not desirableto-use the creeper.

Another object of the invention is to provide,

an ice creeper whioh may be r eadily moved from its inactive position,toits activeposition, or. to

a point incontact withrthe heel of the overshoe on which the device ispositioned, means being provided for exerting pressure on the icecreeper to hold it in place.

Still another object of the invention is to, provide an ice creeperwhich will be exceptionally cheap to manufacture, and one which may bemanufactured and mounted on 'overshoes, boots or the like, without thenecessity of making extensive alterations in the overshoe or bootconstruction. I

With the foregoing and other objects 'view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes'may bemade in the constructionand arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevational view of anovershoe equipped with an ice creeper constructe in accordance with theinvention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the creeper.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the ice creeper, showing the sameas in its inactive position, within the instep of an overshoe.

Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of attachingmeans.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the body portion of the ice creeperis indicated generally by the reference character 5 and comprises asubstantially wide length of sheet metal material, formed with anelongated opening 6, extending from a point adjacent to the forward endof the body portion, to' a point substantially centrally of the bodyportion.

This elongated opening is designed to receive the button 1, which may beformed integral with the sole of the overshoe whichis usuallyconstructed of rubber. As shown, the body portion 5 extends downwardlyfrom the button 1, where it extends horizontally; tof :lie flush against"the outer surface ofthel'reel of the"rubber; 'as'shownr by Fig.1"of

the drawing. Portions o the bodypornc agaojacefitftcth side "edgesthereof, arefextendediupwardly as' at it, providing" stops to iengageithe vertical front wail ofthe heel of the rubber, to hQ'ld the bodyportion fi against rearward mpveinept on the l lfo th o r hqagbe o d cet in p ini-f The "reference character 8' designates a, rubberbandfwhich; has itsjends vulcanized'tofthe over.- sh at o nt i titheiinsten ol' ienffo thef overshoe.;the, H inediatelportion' of itherubber bandbeing spacedfrom'ithe instep of the overshoe, providing arest for the body portion.

It is obvious that when thebody portion is moved from its activeposition as shown by Fig. 1, to the inactive position'as-shown by Fig.3, the resiliency of the rubber band 9 will act to hold the body portioninto close engagement with the bot tom of; the rubber, the spurs 8embedding themselves slightly in the rubber, to further insure againstthe body portion slipping.

When it is desired to move the body portion to its active position, thebody portion is pulled rearwardly until'the'spurs contact with thevertical'wall at the front of the heel of the overshoe. The elastic-band9 now exerts an upward pull on the body portion to hold it into closeengagement with the heel of the overshoe.

Spurs indicated at I0 are stamped fromthe bod'ygp'ortion 5' adjacentto'the rear end thereof,

and are adapted to embed themselves in the snow or ice surface overwhich the person using the device is walking.

In the form of the inventionshown by Fig. 4, the button, which isindicated by the reference character I5, is of the type which may beriveted to the overshoe, at a point within the instep thereof. This typeof button afiords means whereby the ordinary overshoe maybe suppliedwith an ice creeper, constructedin accordance with the invention.

The reference, character l6 designates the body portion of the icecreeper, which is formed with an elongated opening to receive thebutton.

From the foregoing it is believed that the operation of the ice creeperwill be apparent, and that further detaileddisclosure of the device anduse,

being secured adjacent to the instep portion of the overshoe, an elasticband secured to the overshoe and adapted to pass over the body portionnormally urging the body portion towards the sole of the overshoe, spursforming a part of the body portion and adapted to bite into the asurface over which the person using the overshoe wardly from the bodyportion and adapted'to rest against the front wall of the heeloi theovershoe on which the device is positioned, surface-engaging spursextending from the plate, and an elastic band secured to the overshoeand adapted to engage the plateQnorni'ally holding the plate intoengagement with the overshoe; r

3. The combination with an overshoe having a button extending fromtheinstep portion of n the solethereof, of an ic'creeper'comprising a bodyportion having an elongated opening ex-- tending longitudinally thereof,said elongated opening adaptedto accommodate the button, slidablymounting the body portion'onthe overshoe,

means for restricting movement of the body portion towards-the heel ofthe overshoe, surfaceengaging spurs extending mm the body portion, andyieldable means secured to the overshoe and engaging the body portionfor holding the body portion into close engagement with the overshoe.

4. The combination with an overshoe having a button extending from theinstep portion thereof, of an ice creeper comprising a body portionhaving a longitudinally extended elongated opening formed intermediatethe side edges thereof, said opening adapted to accommodate the button,slidably mounting the body portion on the overshoe, yieldable meanscarried by the overshoe and engaging the body portion, said yieldablemeans embodying a band adapted to normally urge the body portion intoclose engagement with the shoe, means for restricting movement of thebody portion longitudinally of the sole of the overshoe, andsurface-engaging spurs stamped from the body portion.

5. The combination with an overshoe having a button extending from theinstep portion of the sole of the overshoe, of an ice creeper comprisingabody portion having a longitudinally extending elongated opening formedtherein, said opening adapted .to accommodate the button, slidablyconnecting the body portion to the overshoe, means for restrictingmovement of the body portion longitudinally of the overshoe, yieldablemeans carried by the overshoe and adapted to overlie the body portion,normally urging the body portion into close engagement with the shoe,and surface-engaging spurs extending from the body portion.

CLARENCE HARVEY.

